Communication device, operation method thereof, and communication system including the same

Abstract

A hybrid communication device, an operation method thereof, and a communication system including the same are provided. The hybrid communication device includes a contact unit that includes an antenna for receiving a first communication signal and an electrode for receiving a second signal, a switch controller that includes a first switch and a second switch and controls the first switch and the second switch based on a change in capacitance of the electrode, and a signal processing unit that receives at least one of the first communication signal and the second communication signal from the contact unit via the first switch and processes the received signal. The first switch is connected to the contact unit, and the signal processing unit is connected to the first switch.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a contact unit including an antenna receiving a first communication signal and an electrode receiving a second communication signal; 
 a switch controller including a first switch and a second switch, and the switch controller controlling the first switch and the second switch based on a change in capacitance of the electrode; and 
 a signal processing unit which receives at least one of the first communication signal and the second communication signal from the contact unit via the first switch and processes the received signal, 
 wherein the first switch is connected to the contact unit, 
 wherein the signal processing unit is connected to the first switch, 
 wherein the switch controller further includes a contact sensor which determines whether an amount of the change in the capacitance of the electrode is greater than or equal to a threshold, and 
 wherein the electronic device is configured to
 operate in a first communication mode in response to the contact sensor determining that the change in the capacitance of the electrode is less than the threshold, and 
 operate in a second communication mode in response to the contact sensor determining that the change in the capacitance of the electrode is greater than or equal to the threshold. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication signal includes a near field communication (NFC) signal. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein one end of the first switch and one end of the second switch are connected to the antenna, and
 wherein another end of the first switch and another end of the second switch are connected to the electrode. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing unit includes a human body communication (HBC) signal processing unit and a wireless communication signal processing unit, and
 wherein one end of the first switch is connected to the HBC signal processing unit and another end of the first switch is connected to the wireless communication signal processing unit. 
 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing unit includes an HBC signal processing unit and a wireless communication signal processing unit. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 5 , wherein the contact sensor measures the capacitance of the electrode and determines whether an amount of change from an initial value of the measured capacitance is greater than or equal to the threshold. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the contact sensor outputs a first switch control signal to the first switch and outputs a second switch control signal to the second switch, when the amount of the change in the capacitance is greater than or equal to the threshold,
 wherein an end of the first switch, the end being connected to the electrode, is electrically disconnected from an end connected to the HBC signal processing unit and an end of the first switch, the end being connected to the antenna, is electrically connected to an end connected to the wireless communication signal processing unit, based on the first switch control signal, and 
 wherein an end of the second switch, the end being connected to the electrode, is electrically connected to an end of the second switch, the end being connected to the antenna, based on the second switch control signal. 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the contact sensor outputs a first switch control signal to the first switch and outputs a second switch control signal to the second switch, when the amount of the change in the capacitance is less than the threshold,
 wherein an end of the first switch, the end being connected to the electrode, is electrically connected to an end connected to the HBC signal processing unit, and an end of the first switch, the end being connected to the antenna, and an end of the first switch, the end being connected to the wireless communication signal processing unit, are electrically disconnected from each other, based on the first switch control signal, and 
 wherein an end of the second switch, the end being connected to the electrode, is electrically disconnected from an end of the second switch, the end being connected to the antenna, based on the second switch control signal. 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication signal uses the air as a medium, and
 wherein the second communication signal uses the human body as a medium. 
 
     
     
       10. An operation method of a communication device including an electrode and an antenna, the operation method comprising:
 determining any one of a first communication mode and a second communication mode as an operation mode of the communication device based on an amount of change from an initial value of a capacitance of the electrode; 
 receiving a communication signal based on the determined operation mode; 
 generating a first switch control signal and a second switch control signal based on the determined operation mode; 
 controlling a first switch circuit and a second switch circuit based on the first switch control signal and the second switch control signal; 
 transmitting the received communication signal to any one of a wireless communication signal processing circuit and an HBC signal processing circuit via the first switch circuit; and 
 processing the received communication signal; 
 wherein the determining of the operation mode includes:
 measuring the capacitance of the electrode; 
 comparing the amount of change from the initial value of the measured capacitance with a threshold; 
 determining the first communication mode as the operation mode, when the amount of change is less than the threshold, and 
 determining the second communication mode as the operation mode, when the amount of change is greater than or equal to the threshold. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The operation method of  claim 10 , wherein the communication signal uses any one of the air or the human body as a medium. 
     
     
       12. The operation method of  claim 10 , wherein the first switch circuit includes a first internal switch and a second internal switch,
 wherein one end of the first internal switch is connected to the antenna and another end of the first internal switch is connected to the wireless communication signal processing circuit, 
 wherein one end of the second internal switch is connected to the electrode and another end of the second internal switch is connected to the HBC signal processing circuit, and 
 wherein one end of the second switch circuit is connected to the electrode and another end of the second switch circuit is connected to the antenna. 
 
     
     
       13. The operation method of  claim 10 , wherein the receiving of the communication signal includes:
 receiving the communication signal via the antenna of the communication device, when the first communication mode is determined as the operation mode of the communication device, and 
 receiving the communication signal via the electrode of the communication device, when the second communication mode is determined as the operation mode of the communication device. 
 
     
     
       14. The operation method of  claim 10 , wherein the controlling of the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit, when the first communication mode is determined as the operation mode of the communication device, includes:
 electrically disconnecting an end of the first switch circuit, the end being connected to the electrode, from an end of the first switch circuit, the end being connected to the wireless communication signal processing circuit, based on the first switch control signal; 
 electrically connecting an end of the first switch circuit, the end being connected to the antenna, with an end of the first switch circuit, the end being connected to the HBC signal processing circuit, based on the first switch control signal; and 
 electrically disconnecting an end of the second switch circuit, the end being connected to the electrode, from an end of the second switch circuit, the end being connected to the antenna, based on the second switch control signal. 
 
     
     
       15. The operation method of  claim 10 , wherein the controlling of the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit, when the second communication mode is determined as the operation mode of the communication device, includes:
 electrically connecting an end of the first switch circuit, the end being connected to the electrode, with an end of the first switch circuit, the end being connected to the wireless communication signal processing circuit, based on the first switch control signal; 
 electrically disconnecting an end of the first switch circuit, the end being connected to the antenna, from an end of the first switch circuit, the end being connected to the HBC signal processing circuit, based on the first switch control signal; and 
 electrically connecting an end of the second switch circuit, the end being connected to the electrode, with an end of the second switch circuit, the end being connected to the antenna, based on the second switch control signal. 
 
     
     
       16. A communication system, comprising:
 a processor; 
 a communication device being controlled by the processor, including an electrode, an antenna, an HBC signal processing circuit, and a wireless communication signal processing circuit, and receiving a communication signal via any one of the electrode and the antenna; and 
 a service module configured to use the communication signal; 
 wherein the communication device operates in one of a wireless communication mode or an HBC communication mode based on an amount of change from an initial value of a capacitance of the electrode; and 
 wherein to determine whether to operate in the one of the wireless communication mode or the HBC communication mode, the communication device
 measures the capacitance of the electrode, 
 compares the amount of change from the initial value of the measured capacitance with a threshold, 
 operates in the wireless communication mode when the amount of change is less than the threshold, and 
 operates in the HBC communication mode when the amount of change is greater than or equal to the threshold. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The communication system of  claim 16 , wherein the communication device further includes a first switch circuit including a first internal switch and a second internal switch and a second switch circuit,
 wherein one end of the first internal switch of the first switch circuit is connected to the electrode and another end of the first internal switch is connected to the HBC signal processing circuit, and 
 wherein one end of the second internal switch of the first switch circuit is connected to the antenna and another end of the second internal switch is connected to the wireless communication signal processing circuit. 
 
     
     
       18. The communication system of  claim 16 , wherein the communication signal is processed by any one of the HBC signal processing circuit and the wireless communication signal processing circuit, and
 wherein the processed signal is transmitted to the service module.